Carptain_Bao
06-16-2013, 01:50 AM
Well, I have yet to catch a single catfish this year except a 5lber caught at Santa fe Dam in early January. I haven't had enough time to fish due to school. After I finished all my finals on Friday. I decided to make a run to the vine before I leave for China on Sunday night. I just really need to break the skunk streak before my visit to China!
Texted Hometown for some tips and he was kind enough to give me a call and pointed me a couple good spots to hit up. Thank you Mark I really appreciate your intel!
Got to the lake a little later than I expected due to the traffic. Rented a boat. Set up in the boat dock cove and found out that one anchor on the rental was broken, what a bummer! Staff was very nice and tied a new one on in a couple mins I was out again. This time I drove the boat around and tried to find a good spot. Finally found a very good spot that wasn't covered with salad and set my boat up right there.
I actually had a few goals this trip:
1. catch a kitty and break the skunk streak!
2. learn how to operate a boat
3. break in my NGT Carp Stalker rod and Carp Runner Reel
4. learn how to use a baitcaster (Tekota 500)
So I rigged both my new carp stalker rod and Daiwa jupiter rod with pike mackerel. I have to say the bait i had was not good. They are oily but not very bloody. Wish I could catch some fresh mackerel while I was at school in Santa barbara but that never worked out. Had to buy some pike mackerel from 99 ranch market. After trying to cast with the Tekota 3 times with 2 huge birdnests I finally gave up. Pulled out my BPS Catbuster paired with Abu Garcia Cardinal and put the baitcaster away.
Not even a nibble for the next 3 hrs but the sun was still up so I was not too worried. I really liked the spot I found myself so I resisted to move. When it hit 8pm, i decided to give it another 15 mins. I waited 'til 8:10, still no bite so I reeled in my NGT combo. Just as I was reeling in my NGT, I saw my Catbuster's line was going out straight, then I heard the drag go "zzzzzzzz" for 3 secs, tightened up my drag and set the hook, FishOn baby! Felt a nice fatty on the other end, not a beast, but a fatty for sure. It didn't start to peel drag until it got close to me. I was worried because I do not want it to get wrapped around the anchor line. Man it was hard to bring in the fish and land it with a big catfish net! I was so freakin' tired after I brought it to the boat. But I was so pumped up by this catch. Threw both lines out again but had no more hits for the next 30 mins. had to head back home at 9 for pack-up and spend more time with mom. i think if I stayed longer I would got more!
Here is the catch of the day:
http://i44.tinypic.com/b9bo2d.jpg
Lesson learned:
-do not fish cats by yourself or else you will have a good work out
-still need to put more work into casting baitcasters
-driving a boat is not as hard as it seems however I definitely need to spend a lot more time on it to be good at it
Good thing is that I finally broke my catfish skunk streak and started the catfish season with a solid kitty!
I would like to thank Hometown again for his help and also thank Irvine Lake for the hard-fighting quality catfish they stocked!
Go out there and enjoy the beautiful summer night!
I shall return in August for a lot more fun nights at the vine!
Tight lines!
Bao
BTW if the people on the boat which I crossed your lines are on this forum I will have to say sorry one more time! I never meant to do that. It was my first time driving a boat and I got too anxious and didn't realize I could back up and make a wider turn. So sorry about messing up your set ups.
Texted Hometown for some tips and he was kind enough to give me a call and pointed me a couple good spots to hit up. Thank you Mark I really appreciate your intel!
Got to the lake a little later than I expected due to the traffic. Rented a boat. Set up in the boat dock cove and found out that one anchor on the rental was broken, what a bummer! Staff was very nice and tied a new one on in a couple mins I was out again. This time I drove the boat around and tried to find a good spot. Finally found a very good spot that wasn't covered with salad and set my boat up right there.
I actually had a few goals this trip:
1. catch a kitty and break the skunk streak!
2. learn how to operate a boat
3. break in my NGT Carp Stalker rod and Carp Runner Reel
4. learn how to use a baitcaster (Tekota 500)
So I rigged both my new carp stalker rod and Daiwa jupiter rod with pike mackerel. I have to say the bait i had was not good. They are oily but not very bloody. Wish I could catch some fresh mackerel while I was at school in Santa barbara but that never worked out. Had to buy some pike mackerel from 99 ranch market. After trying to cast with the Tekota 3 times with 2 huge birdnests I finally gave up. Pulled out my BPS Catbuster paired with Abu Garcia Cardinal and put the baitcaster away.
Not even a nibble for the next 3 hrs but the sun was still up so I was not too worried. I really liked the spot I found myself so I resisted to move. When it hit 8pm, i decided to give it another 15 mins. I waited 'til 8:10, still no bite so I reeled in my NGT combo. Just as I was reeling in my NGT, I saw my Catbuster's line was going out straight, then I heard the drag go "zzzzzzzz" for 3 secs, tightened up my drag and set the hook, FishOn baby! Felt a nice fatty on the other end, not a beast, but a fatty for sure. It didn't start to peel drag until it got close to me. I was worried because I do not want it to get wrapped around the anchor line. Man it was hard to bring in the fish and land it with a big catfish net! I was so freakin' tired after I brought it to the boat. But I was so pumped up by this catch. Threw both lines out again but had no more hits for the next 30 mins. had to head back home at 9 for pack-up and spend more time with mom. i think if I stayed longer I would got more!
Here is the catch of the day:
http://i44.tinypic.com/b9bo2d.jpg
Lesson learned:
-do not fish cats by yourself or else you will have a good work out
-still need to put more work into casting baitcasters
-driving a boat is not as hard as it seems however I definitely need to spend a lot more time on it to be good at it
Good thing is that I finally broke my catfish skunk streak and started the catfish season with a solid kitty!
I would like to thank Hometown again for his help and also thank Irvine Lake for the hard-fighting quality catfish they stocked!
Go out there and enjoy the beautiful summer night!
I shall return in August for a lot more fun nights at the vine!
Tight lines!
Bao
BTW if the people on the boat which I crossed your lines are on this forum I will have to say sorry one more time! I never meant to do that. It was my first time driving a boat and I got too anxious and didn't realize I could back up and make a wider turn. So sorry about messing up your set ups.